The Association Between Victims’ Anxious Attachment and Transgressors’ Nonapology on Conflict Resolution in Romantic Relationships

Managing conflict is integral to romantic relationships. When a romantic partner transgresses against the other partner, a victim’s response may be motivated by their attachment style and their partner’s post-transgression responses (PTRs). In the current research, we tested whether victims higher in attachment anxiety would use more destructive PTRs (e.g., grudge-holding), and whether this effect differed (was moderated by) romantic partners’ nonapologetic response (e.g., lashing out). We also tested whether these associations were accounted for (mediated) by lower perceived partner availability and responsiveness. Across three studies using correlational and experimental methods, when victims high in attachment anxiety perceive an offending partner as nonapologetic, they report more destructive PTRs. Study 3 findings showed that the moderated association between victims’ anxious attachment and destructive PTRs on perceived partners’ nonapology was not accounted for by lower perceived partner availability and responsiveness. However, Study 3 findings did show that victims higher in attachment anxiety respond more destructively because they perceive their partner as less available and responsive when their partner does not respond, compared to when they are nonapologetic. These findings suggest that offending partners' PTRs play a role in motivating anxiously attached victims’ conflict responses.